A Social Experiment
by GyldenGlor
Summary: A young, inexperienced Pokémon Professor gets pulled in over his head when he tests a controversial theory. How will he keep the world from being turned upside down with what he has learned? And how will he protect that which he holds dear?
1. Chapter 1: Introduction

I can't help but smile as Shinx sniffs at my bag.

"Yeah, yeah; I know," I inform him. "You always know when it's time for dinner, don't you?" He mewls happily in response. I chuckle lightly as I present him with a bowl and give him some of my homemade Pokémon food. He waits patiently as I prepare the second ingredient for his meal.

"Here you go," I coo to him as I let the Oran berry slices tumble into his food. "Go to town, buddy." He happily obliges.

I lean back on a rock and watch the branches sway in the gentle moonlight. I'd say it's about eight or nine o'clock by now, which means that Shinx and I should be getting to sleep within a half hour or so. I look over and smile as he finishes inhaling his food with a yawn.

"Tired?" I ask as a yawn of my own erupts forth. He nods before picking up his bowl and placing it by my bag. "Good boy." I reward him with a gratuitous amount of scratching behind the ear. "Now, c'mon – let's get some sleep."

He nods, and I put out the campfire with a kick of dirt. I pick up my field notes and my Pokédex as I collect my belongings. Shinx helps by picking up various instruments and leaping over to me so I can put them away. I have to teach him to leave certain things out, as they're meant to record the habits of nocturnal Pokémon, or attract Pokémon so I can study them later. He learns quickly. I make sure to set up the bait myself, lest he ends up getting peckish.

Shinx and I enter the tent at the same time. He hops onto the bed I got for him, and gleefully circles on it, patting down the material with each step he makes. I marvel as he curls into a ball and begins to fall asleep. For a Pokémon with the physiology of a cat, he has the personality of a dog; which is exactly why I chose him as my partner during my studies.

Shinx's traits display my theory almost perfectly: the idea that each Pokémon is not just an animal with special powers and emotions, but an individual. This means that a group of Pokémon could form a society just as diversified as a human civilization. It's quite the controversial theory – mostly because it means that Pokémon Breeders are making two individuals fuck for monetary gain, which wouldn't exactly be...smiled upon. That, and groups of radicals would have new research to back up the idea that Pokémon battling is wrong – despite the fact that the Pokémon clearly enjoy such activities.

While I could abstain from testing this theory to keep the world in order, I am a scientist – which basically means I'm a curious fool. For me, this theory is too damn..._huge_ to let go. I've got to test it – which is why I'm here.

Come morning, there will (hopefully) be a Pokémon in one of the traps I've set up. (The trap won't harm them, but that's not to say they won't be harmed – wild Pokémon tend to hunt one another.) In order to either prove or disprove this theory, I'm going to have to calm the trapped Pokémon – probably with an offer of food – and befriend it. And I won't do so by catching it in a Pokéball – I'll do so by actually bonding with it, like you would a human. If it gets to the point at which the Pokémon will act like my Shinx does – not hostile to me whatsoever, that is – then my theory has been proven correct.

And I will be the Pokémon Professor that changed the world; Peter the Fool.


	2. Chapter 2: The Specimen

I frown at the bait.

No Pokémon came last night. And my infrared camera didn't pick up jack shit.

Brilliant. Looks like I've failed even the simplest of Professor's tasks – observation.

I sigh as I finish preparing Shinx's meal. I place it on the ground, and he happily consumes it. I eat my own meal, which consists of two pieces of toast.

Once breakfast is over, I decide to bring Shinx to the nearby river for some recreational observation. Perhaps I can succeed at this task yet...

I place my backpack down on dry ground about two meters away from the river, just to be sure that everything inside is protected. As Shinx decides to chase a few wayward leaves, I sit by the edge of the water and watch the water-type Pokémon going about their daily method of survival. A Wooper surfaces for a moment to observe me, as well. I smile as I wave at it. It disappears.

A few Yanmas buzz about the waters' surface, occasionally tapping it with their bodies. One of them is snatched by the tongue of a patient Politoed that sits upon a lily pad. A Lombre surfaces next to the Politoed, and both simply watch each other for a moment before carrying on with their daily routines.

Shinx sits down next to me to eye the Barbroach just beneath the surface of the water. I smile as I scratch behind his ear and watch as a school of Luvdisks shimmer in the morning sun.

I decide to fetch my notepad from my backpack. As I do, I hear rustling in the bushes. I brush it off as a curious Oddish scampering away as I open the bag.

Paper and pencil in hand, I sit back down next to a dozing Shinx and begin to bullet observations down. Some are basic – such as the fact that Woopers tend to feed on the remains of berries accidentally dropped by Aipoms and Ambipoms from the trees overhanging the river. Others are observations of behavior – such as the fact that the Politoed seems to show no remorse for consuming fellow Pokémon, which puts a damper on my theory. Then again, they're completely different species and have different needs...

Perhaps only _certain_ Pokémon have individuality. Perhaps only certain species can attain this area of sentience and sapience combined. Shinx, for example – he's more of an individual than an animal. But then the Pokémon that don't have individual personalities...maybe those are the ones that exist as primal beings? It's a known fact that the species go through both natural and form evolution – each species of Pokémon that exists today exists due to natural selection between varying genetic "flaws". Perhaps this sociopathic Politoed was more suitable for survival than a Politoed that would feel remorse for eating a Yanma.

Or perhaps my theory is completely wrong...

I close my notebook with a sigh, placing both the bound paper and the pencil down next to me. Shinx seems to notice my dismay, and begins to playfully lick and nibble at my hand. I smile as I begin to relax.

My relaxation is short-lived, however, as I hear the tell-tale sound of leather being disturbed. I spin my head around to see who, or what, is rifling through my backpack, and I'm as surprised to see the Gardevoir – its arm elbow-deep in my bag – as it is to see me.

The Pokémon immediately picks up my bag and darts away. Shocked at the behavior – especially from what should be such a timid Pokémon – I spring to my feet and take off after it. Shinx starts to bound after me, letting out excited cries as he tries to partake in what he believes to be a game.

"Hey!" I cry out. As the Gardevoir picks up a bit of speed, I realize that shouting at it and alarming it to my presence wasn't the best idea.

Branches and leaves whip past my face as I run. Shinx deftly keeps up with me, and after a moment even surpasses me due to his smaller stature and stronger legs. Within a few moments, he's caught up with the Gardevoir and has latched himself onto its leg. I watch in pride as the Psychic Pokémon tumbles to the ground.

I immediately grab the bag up from the Gardevoir's reach and pull it around my shoulders. Panting, I kneel down to make sure it's alright as Shinx prances around in victory.

I almost immediately notice that there are several severe bruises all over the Pokémon's back, arms, and legs. I don't know about its chest, but it looks pretty bad. I turn it over to see its torso, and I see more scars and bruises than I can count. I feel a chill go down my spine as I tenderly pick up the Pokémon and start to carry it towards my camp.

Of course, I do so with a small amount of guilt, as my primary motivation for assisting this Pokémon is to conduct my so-called "social experiment". But only a tiny amount of guilt. Mostly because Shinx is so incredibly proud of himself for bringing down such a big-bad theif.


	3. Chapter 3: Medical Attention

Potions are great things.

A mixture of chemicals commonly found in Oran Berries and a special kind of steroid. The Oran Berry chemical, comically named "Ambrosia", soothes any pain and heals most wounds. Due to the concentrated nature, it heals more wounds than consuming an Oran Berry would. The steroid is charged in a manner that forces it through the phospholipid bilayers of surrounding cells and effectively boosts the rate of mitosis about fifty fold.

The original prototypes were dangerous – they could cause lumps and growths on a Pokémon's body if the user wasn't careful. Too much mitosis would occur, and it would just expand. But, thanks to science, the steroid lasts only long enough to develop a diminutive amount of scar tissue – which is almost immediately shed.

While most Trainers view potions as a panacea for their wounded partners, there are some wounds that potions cannot heal. Of course, certain wounds may earn psychological scars, which can only be healed by intense therapy and loving care. However, there are some wounds that Pokémon could never receive through a battle, but would only get in the wild.

These wounds normally bleed quite a lot, and end up leaving horrid scars. These wounds could be broken bones or hemorrhaged organs – perhaps brain trauma. The only way these can heal is through time and care, including bandages, sanitizing, and even surgery.

As a Pokémon Professor, I made a point of knowing the anatomy of most Pokémon inside and out. Armed with my medical license and the proper tools, I am able to perform surgery on over three hundred species of Pokémon. This count includes all humanoid Pokémon – that is, Pokémon with a striking resemblance to human anatomy.

I silently thank Arceus for that as I finish stitching the incision I had made just above the Gardevoir's left breast. Like most females of its species, its breasts are small and flat – the mammary glands are actually contained within its body; just atop the rib cage. However, during times of labor and childbearing, the breasts tend to expand outwards to allow for newborns to properly suckle. This could last for a few months.

Thankfully, this Gardevoir is not pregnant, which is especially relieving due to the barb that had been lodged within its mammary gland.

After having bandaged the Gardevoir's chest, I begin to carefully examine the rest of its body. Although, perhaps I should use the term "her" rather than "its" - given that it – _she_ – is a female, of course.

I know that she is a female due to the presence of labia majora. The first thing I had done when I got her back to my camp was carefully strip her of her natural garments so I could examine her body. As I did so, I took note of her gender. I ended up having to kick Shinx out, as he was incredibly intrigued by the foreign genitalia.

Fuckin' pervert.

Once I'm satisfied that my work is done, I carefully pull the dress back onto the unconscious Gardevoir. Thankfully, the anesthetic that I had applied about a half hour ago is still in effect. I pull the stockings up the Pokémon's legs, and finish with the "panties". Of course, they aren't panties, but are actually a naturally developed article of clothing meant to avoid infection in the genitals.

Once she's regained modesty, I carefully roll up one of her sleeves so I can get access to her fractured arm. Whether the arm was fractured when Shinx tackled her or by something else, I still don't know.

After applying a splint to the limb, I tie it off with some bandage and place a sling over her shoulder. Once that's done, I begin to prepare her a meal for when she awakes.

To be totally honest, I'm surprised she was able to run so quickly. She's almost nothing but skin and bones, and I wouldn't be surprised if her last meal was two days ago. This explains her actions from earlier, and also adds a new level of concern and urgency to the situation. But I can't let that distract me from what I have to consider.

I need to be friendly and sympathetic. I can't be my usual self when I'm around humans – that is, caustic yet intellectual. I need to be caring and gentle, or I risk alienating her.

I sigh as I recline, and let Shinx back into the tent. He eagerly jumps into my lap and begins to knead his claws on my pant leg. I smile as he curls into a ball for a nap, and zip the tent closed before gently stroking his back and closing my eyes as I fully relax.

"Sleep tight, buddy," I whisper to him. "It's been a pretty long day, hasn't it?"

He purrs gently in response. I check over Gardevoir's form, as well as the restraint I carefully applied to her arm. If she wakes up and tries to "escape", she won't be able to leave the tent, and the bell will alert me. I don't know how I'll subdue her yet, but I know I'll have to be gentle.

Ugh, Arceus, hours upon hours of thinking this intellectually is really taking its toll...I mean, don't get me wrong, I love being a Professor and a scientist, but being driven to think like this every second of the day is sort of taxing. Even when I'm trying to relax, I find myself thinking analytically.

Quite honestly, it's a bitch, because I end up not having enough brainpower left to do simple things at the end of the day.

Maybe I won't think analytically tomorrow...

Ah, who am I kidding. It's probably in my fucking DNA by now.

In any case, sleep is beckoning, and Gardevoir's gonna be unconscious for the next few hours. I may as well get some shut-eye after that yummy dinner I had before.


	4. Chapter 4: Lingual Barriers

I smile as the Gardevoir finishes eating - or, more accurately, inhaling - the berries I gave her. She sighs in content as she leans back against the edge of the tent, fussing with her sling for a bit before finally letting it sit still. Shinx bounds over to her and sniffs at the fabric of her dress, and I smirk as he swats at it.

After a moment of resting, the Gardevoir begins to stir. She sits upright and closes her eyes, and I realize that she's meditating. I pick up my notepad and pencil and begin to take notes on her methods.

Something hits me, and I open my Pokédex and check the entry on Gardevoir. I nod to myself as I open the notebook and begin a new entry.

_Day One:_

_The Gardevoir seems to trust me. It's unexpected, as she is a wild Pok__é__mon, and most of them don't trust humans. It seems as if she follows a logical thought pattern, as trust was established when I presented her with sustenance._

_This denotes that the species has achieved sentience, as she is able to discern the difference between a threatening entity and a helpful one. She seems willing to establish a benign relationship with me, but this relationship seems to be one based upon the will to survive, and not any sort of friendship or partiality. At this time, it does not prove, nor does it disprove, anything. Further research must be conducted._

_The Gardevoir has completed her meditation. I will attempt to communicate with her and perhaps establish a universal understanding between us._

I smile at the Gardevoir as I put away my notes. She watches in placid curiosity, undoubtedly refreshed by both the meal and her meditation.

"Hi," I begin. I point to myself. "My name is Peter. I'm a Pokémon Professor." She remains silent. "So, uh...I'm sorry about how I chased after you. You took my bag, and...well, to be quite honest, you looked like shit. D'you understand what I'm saying?" Her eyelid slowly descends and returns in a thoughtful blink. I sigh as I continue.

"So...I mean, there are so many berries around here. How come you hadn't eaten?"

She responds by letting out a low hum and standing to leave. I frown as I spring to my feet and take a gentle grasp of her arm. She looks to me in surprise.

"You sure you want to go outside? You had pretty bad injuries, I think you should rest."

She surprises me by irritably yanking her at from me and striding out of the tent. I watch as I cautiously follow.

The Gardevoir looks right at me. I stop in my tracks so I don't startle her. She points to the edge of the clearing, and I follow her finger with a frown.

"I don't understand," I admit. "Is there something that way you want me to see?"

She shakes her head, and lowers her finger. She seems disappointed, but I don't know what she expected.

"Well...I think you should rest," I announce as I approach her. She looks to me with a sigh. "You were cut up pretty badly," I remind her. "I had to do a bit of surgery...you should lie down, or else you could tear the sutures..." I gently grasp her un-bound arm and try to lead her to the tent, but she tears her arm away from me and walks into the tent by herself. I follow her with a roll of my eyes. The least she could do is be a bit grateful...

I follow her in, and sigh as I recline on my sleeping bag. The Gardevoir continues to simply sit in silence. I want to try communicating with her, but it seems as if she wants to be left alone. So I pick up my notepad and continue the entry.

_Attempts to communicate were inconclusive. I don't know if she understood me or not, but she lead me outside the tent and pointed into the trees. I believe she was attempting to convey the source of her misfortune to me, but I cannot be sure._

_She seems to want to be left alone. So I'm going to let her be alone until I have to check her bandages, sutures, arm, etc. I'm not going to let her jeopardize her own health because she's stubborn. This isn't even part of the experiment - I'm acting as her doctor, and by God, I'm going to be a fucking doctor._

I put the notepad away and look over at Gardevoir. Shinx is curled up next to her leg, and is taking a nap. However, that's not what catches my attention. What catches my attention is that the Gardevoir is fucking with her bandages.

"Hey," I announce as I approach, "stop screwing with your bandages. There are stitches under there, you've got to keep them covered. Now, c'mere, let me fix them."

I try to touch her bandages, but she catches me off guard with a slap to the face. I glare at her for a moment. So much for a species of logical thought process...

"I'm trying to help you," I inform her. "Let me see your bandages." She rolls her eyes as she holds her dress down from her shoulders. I nod as I approach, careful not to touch the horn protruding from her chest.

"Okay," I mutter as I finish checking all of her bandages. "They're fine. Just don't screw with them, alright?" She gives me an evil eye as she pulls her dress back into place. I can't help but be amazed by how she's acting. I grab my notepad as soon as I return to my bed.

_The Gardevoir is displaying aspects of individuality. She is very irritable, and seems to have a good amount of dignity. When I attempted to examine her bandages, which required removing a portion of her dress, she slapped me. She also glared at me, as if she harbors violent resentment against me. It may warrant caution, but it is also an interesting point that I will have to study further._

I watch as Shinx stands and walks around. Gardevoir seems to seize up, and I realize why she's struggling against me. She probably knows that I'm trying to help her, but she obviously fears interaction with other Pokémon or humans. As such, her actions of retaliation aren't acts of violent resentment - they're acts of fear. She's afraid.

I frown as I approach her, hoping that I'm right. She tenses as I come near, and seems ready to attack me - much like a cornered wild animal. I smile sympathetically as I sit down across from her.

"So...how's your arm feeling?" I ask her. She blinks. "Right...uh...would you like anything? Any more berries?" She blinks. "Taking that as a no?" Blink. "Would you like to go outside? I'll have to watch you, since you're technically my patient..." Blink. I'm about to leave when she extends her hand towards me. I watch her cautiously as I meet her halfway. As soon as our skin makes contact, I feel something stab into my mind, and her hand grasps onto mine. I seize up as a psychic tendril worms through my mind, taking everything unbidden to my wishes.

As soon as she releases my hand, I reel away from her, gasping for air and solace. She closes her eyes as she contemplates what she's stolen from my mind. I back away from her a bit, my heart pounding as panic sets in.

After several moments of hyperventilating and staring at her, I'm finally able to gulp down some air and shut my eyes. When I open them again, I've calmed down, and Shinx is nudging my hand in concern. I smile a bit, still panting, as I scratch behind his ears.

Gardevoir opens her eyes, and my heart leaps in panic. I force myself to remain collected as she stares into my eyes. A moment passes in cautious examination before she closes her eyes once more, and continues to meditate. I shake my head as I decide to just leave her alone for the time being, and hopefully get my mind in order...**  
**


	5. Chapter 5: End of the Day

I sigh as I finish mashing the Oran Berries into a paste, and mix in a small amount of anti-bacterial topical medicine. It's not medical tape, but it will have to do...

I tentatively approach Gardevoir with the bowl of Oran poultice. She watches me cautiously as I kneel down in front of her.

"I have to get to your bandages," I announce. "It means you'll have to undress. I made this ointment that will help the wound seal faster. I would use a Potion, but it could cause the cut to grow into much worse of a scar than it already will be." She blinks at me. "So...if you don't mind...I'll just...yeah..." I reach for her shoulder, and gently attempt to slide the fabric off of her skin. She grabs my arm and glares at me, forcing me to pause so I don't end up hurting her, or myself. "I'm just getting to your bandages," I assure her. "I'm just trying to take care of you."

She continues to glare at me for a minute that spans to eternity, but finally lets go of my arm with a nod. I sigh in relief as I begin to tend to her bandages, gently peeling them away so I can apply the poultice. She watches me, cautious and fearful as I begin to apply it. She jumps as the cold paste makes contact with her skin. I give her a small smile to mitigate her stress as I continue to rub the past into the sutures.

Once that's done, I remove her bandages entirely, momentarily exposing the breast beneath her wound. She gasps as she immediately covers it and glares at me, and I back away as she prepares to slap me.

"Sorry," I hastily apologize. "Sorry, I just have to change your bandages..."

I get a Ziplock bag from my supplies and stuff the soiled linens into the small bag and seal it shut. It's not a biohazard disposal bin, but it'll have to do...

After preparing new bandages, I approach her with a small smile. "Hey," I announce. "Just relax, alright? I've got to get to your wound, so I'm going to put the bandages over your breast first so you can be comfortable." She stares at me in a profound lack of comprehension. I sigh as I begin to slip her dress off again, and she seems to understand this time, as she doesn't seize up. After checking the poultice, I begin to slowly and carefully slide the fabric lower, until it's just past her axillary region. The Gardevoir begins to blush as it nears her breast, and I make sure to stop before her nipple is exposed. I can't help but be intrigued - I never thought that Pokémon cared much about nudity.

I have her hold the fabric there as I begin to wrap the bandages around her shoulder, and I end up cutting the excess off and pinning it down. It's very thin and allows for mobility, so it won't be a problem.

"Alright," I announce as I let her pull her dress back up. "That should hold for a few days. I think we should actually start on our way back to my lab tomorrow - I can treat you more properly there. What d'you think?" She blinks at me. I sigh. "Of course you don't have an opinion," I grumble. I rub my eyes as I realize that I'm gonna need to sleep in soon - I'm talking to a Pokémon and expecting English in return...

Then again, she is so similar to a human. She has the features of a human, and she has the dignity of a human - that is, she values being "decent" and clothed. I make a mental note to put that down in my journal sometime. Maybe tomorrow, when I'm not delirious...

The Gardevoir hums a bit, and I turn to watch her. She hums again, and I struggle to understand her meaning.

She rubs her stomach as she hums. I breathe in realization.

"You're hungry," I muse aloud. "Alright. It's time for dinner anyway. Yes, Shinx, it's dinner time." I playfully poke at his belly as he begins to beg.

A few moments later, Gardevoir is meditating again, and Shinx is mewing into his bed. I frown as I examine the tent and realize there's nowhere for Gardevoir to sleep.

"Hey, Shinx, would you mind sharing your bed with Gardevoir?"

He hisses at me. I cock an eyebrow at him, and sigh as I fetch my emergency sleeping bag, for in case my original is damaged.

"Gardevoir," I call. She looks up. "You can sleep in this, alright? We'll be getting up pretty early tomorrow to get back to the lab, so I suggest you go to sleep early..."

She nods, and I'm surprised that she understood me at all. However, being a Psychic Pokémon, she probably sensed my intentions - or some crap like that. Psychic types are weird. There's no constant for their mind-reading abilities - it varies by species, and the magnitude of their ability varies per specimen. It's quite...annoying, really. Makes studying their powers really hard.

About a half hour later, I've ensured that everything we'll need in the morning is already prepared and/or packed. I nod to myself as I finish reviewing my bag, and let out a yawn as I lie down in my sleeping bag. I hear rustling, and I look to my right to see that Gardevoir is watching me. She blinks once, and I shiver as I turn over, trying to ignore the fact that I'm being stalked. She's probably just paranoid...

Or hell, maybe she's pulling a Gandalf. Fuck, I dunno. I guess I'll find out in the morning...


	6. Chapter 6: Post-Surgery

I finish hooking up the monitors, and sigh in relief as it shows stability in the patient. I pick up the chart and start to scan through the details, just to make sure - for the umpteenth time - that I didn't miss anything during surgery.

The Gardevoir suffered blunt-force trauma that caused visceral damage that I couldn't detect in the field. Even if I had, it would be too risky to perform surgery without a professional atmosphere - I needed an intravenous drip for both morphine and blood, as the surgery was pretty damn invasive.

Most of the injuries included tissue tearing and trauma in the organs. Thankfully, I didn't have to perform any transplants - all the damage was reparable. There were a few things I couldn't use contemporary techniques on - such as the bruising to the kidneys. That required an extremely careful application of concentrated Oran Berry. _Extremely careful._

However, there were certain things that could be fixed with traditional surgical techniques. Such as the small rupture in her small intestines. It was small enough not to be incredibly severe, but it was still a rupture in her small intestines, so it was severe enough.

Also, there was a small cut on her left lung. It was caused by one of the fractured ribs that I had to repair. Thing is, it was just a small cut, but if it had been left unchecked it would have torn, and her lung would have collapsed.

That was about the extent of her visceral injuries. Her Lymphatic system was fine, thank goodness. And now, all that I've got to do is make sure that she remains stable, and that her heart-rate doesn't -

Oh, son of a bitch!

Her heart-rate is fucking skyrocketing! It's like she's having a panic attack or something - she's even starting to cry in her sleep and stuff...

Before I can do anything, she bursts upright, crying and sobbing as she clasps her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide in fear as she recovers from...whatever. I immediately place a hand on her shoulder, and she jerks away from me. I frown as I gently grasp her arm to calm and lie her down, before she hurts herself.

"Hey," I say, gently. "Calm down - you've got to lay down, alright?"

She looks to me, tears streaking down her cheeks and pooling in her eyes. She freezes, and her arms go limp as she stares at me.

I wait for her to react, and I'm quite surprised when she sniffles and practically collapses into me and wraps her arms around my waist. I stare in shock as she cries into my chest, and after a moment I awkwardly rest my hands on her arms in an attempt to comfort her.

We stay that way for about fifteen minutes, the Gardevoir crying into my chest as I awkwardly attempt to comfort her, trying to avoid as much contact as possible. When she finally pulls away and rubs her eyes, my shirt is damp with tears, and I'm rather confused and...a bit uncomfortable.

She sniffles a few times, and I'm able to get her to lie down on the bed. I check all the connections and make sure they're still in place as she close her eyes. Once I'm sure that everything's as it should be, I stand and turn to leave. I look back to her for a moment, and pause as I consider what just happened. I shake my head and run a hand through my hair with a sigh as I exit the room and walk to my study.


	7. Chapter 7: The Nightmare

I'm scared.

It's dark.

I'm cold.

It's angry.

I shiver as I look up at the monolith of a foe. It glares back at me, a low, hearty rumble coming from its throat. I feel a familiar push - the same one that always forces me to fight, no matter how out-matched I am.

I step forward, my limbs shaking as the Push tells me what to do. I try to resist, because I know what will happen if I do. The gears in the monster before me turn in patience.

After several moments of stronger pushing, I finally give in to the Push and do as I'm told. The gargantuan doesn't seem to care, and it swats at me as if I'm a fly.

I hit the ground, sprawled out as I begin to cry in pain. The Push doesn't relent - it gets stronger. It tells me to fight, even though I can't - even though I'm too weak...

The Push gets stronger, and I have to give in. I do as it says, and the colossus hits me once more. The wind is knocked out of my lungs as I'm sent backwards and onto the ground again, my back screaming in pain as it makes sharp contact with the ground. I cough, and blood comes out.

The Push gets stronger. It gets angry and starts to hurt me. I sob as it forces me to fight, makes me fight, even though I can't fight - I can't fight!

The Push doesn't care. It picks me up and throws me back at my foe. I do as I'm told, and I'm hit once again.

The pain is worse this time. I'm sobbing. Coughing blood. Bleeding. My stomach hurts. Everything hurts...

The Push comes again, and it makes me cry more. It forces me forces me forces me forces me forces me...

I can't fight! I can't! Please, don't make me fight! I don't want to fight anymore, it hurts! Please, don't make me fight!

I begin to choke.

Please, I'm too weak! I can't do it! I just can't! I'm not strong enough!

The Push doesn't relent. It doesn't care. It has never cared. It just wants me to fight, fight, fight, fight fight fight fight...

Please, stop! Let it end - don't make me do this! Please...I beg of you...stop...

The Push shouts at me. It roars at me. It makes me move. I sob as I'm controlled, forced to fight - only to be knocked right back down. I feel bones snap, excruciating pain and light filling my eyes as I sob.

Please...let it stop...

The Push tries to make me fight again.

I can't...

The Push gets even stronger.

Please...I can't...

The Push emanates disgust, hatred, rage. I'm confused and hurt.

But...I've only ever done what you've told me to...I've only done what you've wanted...I've done everything you've asked me to do, I've never given up, please...haven't I done enough already? Haven't I earned...your respect?

I know the answer, even as the Push remains silent. I never won. I was never strong enough. I was always worthless.

The Push begins to withdraw, and I reach for it in desperation.

But...without you, how...how will I survive? I...please, don't leave, just don't make me fight anymore...

The Push keeps going away. I sob as I'm left.

Please...I'll die...

The Push finally speaks.

Then die.

My eyes contract, and my heart stops. I gasp, sputter, and sob.

And that's when I'm hit again.

I let out a cry of pain as my chest is crushed. Again and again, I am hit, until blood is flowing from my mouth as my stomach is ruptured again and again. I want to cry, but I can't cry anymore. There's too much pain, and I'm going to die.

It left me to die...

I close my eyes, and the world ends.


End file.
